The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of New Zealand flax grown for use in the landscape, or for use as a container plant. The new cultivar is known botanically as Phormium cookianum and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘BLONDIE’.
The new Phormium cultivar named ‘BLONDIE’ is a naturally occurring whole plant mutation that was discovered by the inventor in 2005 in Tauranga, New Zealand as single plant within the inventor's commercial crop of Phormium cookianum ‘Cream Delight’ (unpatented). The inventor observed that one plant, later named ‘BLONDIE’, was shorter than all other plants in the crop and produced exceptionally reflexing leaves, which were also narrower than the leaves of ‘Cream Delight’. The inventor continued to observe this one plant and found that these differences from ‘Cream Delight’ became more pronounced as the growing season progressed. Within one year of growth, the leaves of the discovered plant became so fully reflexed that the tips of the leaves extended considerably below the level of the base of the plant.
‘BLONDIE’ exhibits a clumping habit comprised of narrow leaves which tend to arch from earliest growth. ‘BLONDIE’ was first asexually propagated by the inventor in Tauranga, New Zealand in 2005 by division of the initially-discovered plant. Phormiums are relatively slow to multiply and by 2011 the inventor had produced approximately six thousand plants of ‘BLONDIE’ by repeated division of each new generation with no instances of reversion or variation in habit. The inventor has determined that ‘BLONDIE’ is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The closest variety of Phormium known to the inventor is the parent variety Phormium ‘Cream Delight’. ‘Cream Delight’ and ‘BLONDIE’ have similarly variegated cream-green foliage. However, the leaves of ‘BLONDIE’ are strongly reflexed and are narrow, being approximately one third of the width of the leaves of ‘Cream Delight’. In addition, the inventor has observed that ‘BLONDIE’ exhibits a more prolific multiplication rate than ‘Cream Delight’. Whereas a single basal fan of ‘Cream Delight’ will increase two-fold to three fold in one growing season, the multiplication rate of ‘BLONDIE’ ranges between six-fold and eight-fold, which is an important commercial distinction and benefit.
Cultural requirements for the production of ‘BLONDIE’ include growing in full sun to part shade, occasional to regular water but avoiding drying out or excess water in the potting mix which should be free-draining. The inventor has not observed any particular susceptibility or resistance to pests and diseases. The inventor has not observed any flowers on any plants of ‘BLONDIE’ to date, including plants which are five or six years old.
The inventor filed an application for New Zealand Plant Breeders' Rights for ‘BLONDIE’ on Nov. 20, 2006, Serial Number FLX020. Since that time, all plants of ‘BLONDIE’ remained under the inventor's and applicant's control until the first liners (one year old divisions) were sold to wholesale growers in New Zealand in April 2011 and to wholesale growers in the USA in May 2011.